Learning difficulties

At HSR Psychology our specialist psychologists carry out assessments to identify learning difficulties and learning needs. We can also implement and support learning interventions to address identified needs.

What are learning difficulties?

Learning difficulties impact a child or young person’s ability to learn, remember, problem solve and attend. Identification of a child's cognitive strengths and difficulties can help understand any barriers to learning and allow strategies to be implemented to support them in the classroom. Through identifying a child or young person’s potential, and comparing it against what stage the child or young person is currently learning at, we can help to narrow the gap to maximise potential. We assess learning difficulties from the age of 3 years and 6 months. If you would like a child younger than this age then please read about the services we offer for developmental delay.

Moderate learning difficulty (MLD)

Pupils with MLDs will have attainments significantly below expected levels in most areas of the curriculum despite appropriate interventions. Their needs will not be able to be met by normal differentiation and the flexibilities of the National Curriculum. They should only be recorded as MLD if additional educational provision is being made to help them to access the curriculum. Pupils with MLDs have much greater difficulty than their peers in acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills and in understanding concepts. They may also have an associated speech and language delay, low self-esteem, low levels of concentration and under-developed social skills.

Severe learning difficulty (SLD)

Pupils with SLDs have significant intellectual or cognitive impairments. This has a major effect on their ability to participate in the school curriculum without support. They may also have difficulties in mobility and coordination, communication and perception and the acquisition of self-help skills. Pupils with SLDs will need support in all areas of the curriculum. They may also require teaching of self-help, independence and social skills. Some pupils may use sign and symbols but most will be able to hold simple conversations. Their attainments may be within the upper P scale range (P4-P8) for much of their school careers (that is below level 1 of the National Curriculum).

Department for Education, Glossary of special educational needs (SEN) terminology

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or

Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions

SEND code of practice (2015)

There are a number of indicators which may suggest that an individual would benefit from a learning difficulties assessment, including:

Our process

At HSR Psychology we ensure that we meet the needs of children and young people. To achieve this we ensure that any specific assessments, intervention, or direct work, is only carried out following an initial discussion.

An initial discussion allows us to understand the background and your expectations of our involvement. Having an initial discussion ensures any services we provide appropriately identify or address needs.

Our process for any specific assessments, intervention, or direct work is as follows:

Step 1: Contact us

We will usually be contacted by the child or young person, parent or carer, or another professional (eg education or health).

Step 2: Arrange an initial discussion

Step 3: Review our recommendations

Following an initial discussion we will send you an email that includes:

Next steps recommendations - to provide a bespoke package of support. For example:

Assessments

Reports

Information gathering

Meeting

Interventions

Consultancy

Reviews

Costing - we will provide costings for any services recommended.

Step 4: Let's get started

On receipt of the next steps recommendations and costing you can decide how to proceed. Once you have decided contact us to arrange the chosen services.

How is learning and cognition assessed?

Learning and cognition is assessed by our clinical, counselling and educational psychologists by carrying out a number of assessments, observations and discussions with key staff members, parents or carers.

Discussion with key adults

Our psychologists will speak with parents, carers or education staff to talk through concerns and work towards a shared understanding of the child or young person’s needs.

Background

Exploring the medical and educational background of a child or young person includes access to previous professional reports and provides further information about the child or young person’s development. Knowing the occurrence, frequency and intensity of the difficulties builds our holistic understanding.

Cognitive assessment

A cognitive assessment provides a cognitive profile of strengths and difficulties. A cognitive assessment allows our psychologists to see whether a child or young person’s strengths and difficulties are general or connected to a specific learning area, such as literacy or numeracy. Any areas of need highlighted by the cognitive assessment can lead to the selection of appropriate educational assessments for further exploration. Only specific psychologists can carry out a full cognitive assessment, these include our clinical, counselling, educational and child psychologists.

Observation

Observing a child or young person allows the psychologist to assess external factors such as environment and interaction with other individuals.

Combining the information from the discussion, background, assessment and observation is part of our holistic approach.

Which assessments do we use for learning difficulties?

The specific assessments used will be chosen based on the child or young person. The main assessments we use are:

There are other assessments which may be used during an assessment for learning difficulties, including observations and discussions with the child, young person and the individuals who know them best.

What happens after an assessment?

After an assessment, the information will be written up in a report. If learning and cognition difficulties are identified, our specialist educational and child psychologists will make recommendations to support the child or young person with their learning.

Recommendations could include specific interventions or the application of strategies and techniques.

What interventions do we support?

We support many interventions for learning and cognition, and the intervention used will depend on the specific areas of need identified. Examples of interventions we can support include:

Memory interventions

Spelling groups

Meta-cognition and self-regulation

Precision teaching

Environmental adaptations

To find out more about learning and cognition interventions we can support please contact us.

How much does an assessment for learning difficulties cost?

An assessment for learning difficulties may vary in length due to the variety of ages we assess. A quote will be provided following an initial discussion.

Learning and cognition difficulties can impact many areas of a child or young person’s life and identification of needs can lead to effective support. To book an initial discussion for learning and cognition difficulties, or to find out more then please contact us now to speak to a member of our team.

Arrange an initial discussion

Arrange an initial discussion to find out how we can benefit your education setting. The initial discussion lasts 2 hours and is a starting point to identify needs. The cost is £160.

HSR Psychology is an independently owned and controlled not-for-profit social enterprise we reinvest any profits we generate to further maximise the wellbeing and potential of children and young people.